Further study details as provided by National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH):

Estimated Enrollment:

40

Study Start Date:

September 2001

Estimated Study Completion Date:

February 2005

Detailed Description:

A large percentage of the practice and use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in the United States is focused on cancer. Whether the CAM use is aimed at reducing one's risk of developing cancer or improving the quality of life of a cancer patient during treatment or at the end of life, the public focus on CAM and cancer has created a driving force for cancer centers to address the efficacy and science of these methods.

Currently, the majority of cancer patients do not receive adequate palliative care. Acupuncture has been shown to be effective in the treatment of pain and nausea and has also been shown to improve one's general well-being. Acupuncture also has some effectiveness in relieving symptoms of anxiety and depression. This study will evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture by Traditional Chinese Medicine clinicians to address the quality of life and symptoms of patients with incurable cancer.

Women with recurrent metastatic ovarian cancer and similar patients with advanced cancer who are ambulatory and receiving conventional palliative care will be enrolled in this study. Patients will continue to receive high-quality, conventional clinical interventions, including chemotherapy and pain and symptom reduction programs. Patients will also receive 8 weeks of acupuncture. Evaluation tools such as Satisfaction with Life Domains Scale for Cancer (SLDS-C), Brief Pain Inventory, and Rotterdam Symptom Check List will be used to assess the acupuncture intervention.

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:

21 Years and older (Adult, Senior)

Genders Eligible for Study:

Female

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

Advanced cancer patients, primarily ovarian cancer patients

Undergoing palliative care treatment

Ambulatory

Symptomatic with pain, nausea, and/or an inadequate quality of life

Platelets > 25,000/mm3

ANC > 500 cells/mm3

Exclusion Criteria

Acupuncture treatment during the 6 months prior to study entry

History of bleeding disorder, such as hemophilia or von Willebrand disease

Acute psychosis

Contacts and Locations

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00070967